Making it Better, Your Minnesota's Health Improvement Log

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August 6, 2105

Current and archived issues available at www.health.state.mn.us/divs/oshii/log

To be added to the distribution list please email Health.MakingitBetter@state.mn.us.

In This Week's Issue

• Don't forget!
• Gems
• Grantee Feedback Form
• Physical Activity Coordinator ~ Office of Statewide Health Improvement Initiatives
• In the News ~ Smoking, Drinking and Obesity Increase Risk of Dementia
• Training ~ Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program ~ U of MN Extension
• Training ~ A New Look at Fruits and Vegetables in the School Cafeterias ~ U of MN Extension
• Webinar ~ Farm to School Month Midwest Menu ~ IATP ~ Aug 12, 1pm
• Conference Call ~ Healthy Food Service Guidelines in Worksite and Community Settings ~ ChangeLab Solutions ~ Sept 29, 12pm
• Conference ~ Planning & Health: A Dialogue for Action ~ Sept 23-25
• MDH Request for Proposals: SHIP Menthol Cigarette Intervention Grant
• Webinar ~ Smoke-Free Housing in Condos and Townhomes ~ ANSR ~ Aug 12, 12pm
• Article ~ Children with Asthma Exposed to Secondhand Smoke More Likely Experience Comorbidities
• Conference ~ Creating Accountable Communities of Health 2015 ~ Duluth, Sept 9-10
• Save the Date ~ Regional Learning Meetings: Healthy Eating & Active Living ~ August & September
• Save the Date ~ Orientation/Training ~ Bemidji, Sept 15 & 16
• New Community Preventive Services Task Force Recommendation—Utilizing CHWs with Patients at Increased Risk for CVD

Don't forget!

• Today ~  Aug 6 ~ 7:30am ~ Webinar ~ Breastfeeding and the Workplace: Success Takes a Team
• Tues ~ Aug 11 ~ Regional Learning Meetings: Healthy Eating & Active Living ~ Minneapolis
• Thurs ~ Aug 13 ~ Regional Learning Meetings: Healthy Eating & Active Living ~ Redwood Falls & Rochester

Gems

Congratulations to the communities of Leech Lake and Red Lake for being awarded the “Seeds of Native Health” awards.”  Read more about Seeds of Native Health here. 

Do you have a resource or success story (“gem”) to share for a future issue?  Submissions for each week’s Thursday publication are due by noon every Tuesday to Health.MakingitBetter@state.mn.us or community specialists for:

• SHIP  Meredith Ahlgren, Allison Heinzeller, Jessica Smith or Dan Taylor
• Tobacco Pa Khang
• American Indian LaRaye Anderson or Sarah Brokenleg
• Community Wellness Rachel Mahon Bosman

Grantee Feedback Form

Do you have a suggestion or general feedback (good or bad) you would like to share with MDH? If so, you can now submit an online Grantee Feedback Form to OSHII. To access the form, click here.

Physical Activity Coordinator ~ Office of Statewide Health Improvement Initiatives

Position vacancy announcement for MDH Physical Activity Coordinator – this position is responsible for coordinating the physical activity initiatives within the Office of Statewide Health Improvement Initiatives (OSHII) and facilitating this work with other colleagues across MDH, in other state agencies and with other stakeholders and partners across Minnesota.

Applications are being accepted for all qualified job seekers including internal bids and external applicants. The posting is open through midnight on Aug 10. 

In the News ~ Smoking, Drinking and Obesity Increase Risk of Dementia

Drinking too much, smoking, being obese and having diabetes can all shrink different regions of the brain, a study has found.

The heart disease risk factors are linked to effects on the brain that may predict Alzheimer's disease or other forms of dementia, say researchers. Read more here. 

No resources

Training ~ Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program ~ U of MN Extension

This training is designed specifically schools participating in the FFVP for school year 2015-2016 and those implementing the program at their school(s); however, any sponsor is welcome to join and learn more about the program. Each training is targeted to staff that implement the FFVP. Participants will learn FFVP program basics and best practices, understand the purpose and goals, how to submit a claim and how to successfully implement the program at your school. The first one and one-half hours will be FFVP specific training.

Following the specific FFVP training, a free two-hour A New Look at Fruits and Vegetables in the School Cafeterias course will be taught by the University of Minnesota Extension. Participants will understand the health benefits resulting from children meeting the dietary guidelines for fruit and vegetable consumption, review safe food handling practices that ensure the fruits and vegetables offered to students are nutritious and healthy, leave with a variety of ideas for including more nutrient dense, tasty and appealing fruits and vegetables in your school meals, and gain more ideas for structuring the cafeteria and serving line to ‘nudge’ students toward healthier choices.

Register for Thursday, August 20, 2015, 8:30am-12pm | Wadena 

Register for Wednesday, August 26, 2015, 12-3:30pm | Roseville

Register for Wednesday, September 2, 2015, 8:30am-12pm | North Mankato

Training ~ A New Look at Fruits and Vegetables in the School Cafeterias ~ U of MN Extension

This training is designed for all school food service professionals who serve fruits and vegetables. A New Look at Fruits and Vegetables in School Cafeterias is a free two-hour course that will be taught by staff from the University of Minnesota Extension. Participants will understand the health benefits resulting from children meeting the dietary guidelines for fruit and vegetable consumption, review safe food handling practices that ensure the fruits and vegetables offered to students are nutritious and healthy, leave with a variety of ideas for including more nutrient dense, tasty and appealing fruits and vegetables in your school meals, and gain more ideas for structuring the cafeteria and serving line to ‘nudge’ students toward healthier choices.

Register for Thursday, August 20, 2015, 10am-12pm | Wadena

Register for Wednesday, August 26, 2015, 1:30-3:30pm | Roseville

Register for Wednesday, September 2, 2015, 10am-12pm | North Mankato

Webinar ~ Farm to School Month Midwest Menu ~ IATP ~ Aug 12, 1pm

Are you interested in doing something special with your whole tray to  celebrate Food Day during Farm to School Month this year? The Midwest Menu might be just what you are looking for! In the spirit of collective celebration, all schools across the Midwest are invited to serve a coordinated lunch tray featuring local and regional foods on Thursday, October 22nd, 2015. This webinar is designed to help you prepare to join the School Food FOCUS Upper Midwest Regional Learning Lab in serving a clean-label and locally sourced school lunch, and participate in National Farm to School Month with a “crunch heard round the region,” a delicious coordinated apple bite during lunch! Register here.

Conference Call ~ Healthy Food Service Guidelines in Worksite and Community Settings ~ ChangeLab Solutions ~ Sept 29, 12pm

Who are the calls for?  This call series is intended for state or local health departments that are taking an active role in healthy food service guidelines and procurement in worksite and community settings.  

What is the purpose?  The purpose of this call series is to facilitate a networking forum to share information among public health practitioners on healthy food service guidelines and procurement strategies. 

1-866-581-9669 | Participant code: 31358597

Conference ~ Planning & Health: A Dialogue for Action ~ Sept 23-25

Registration is now open!  

Planning and Health: A Dialogue for Action | Sept 23

MN APA Conference 23-25th

MDH Request for Proposals: SHIP Menthol Cigarette Intervention Grant

The Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) is seeking applications under this Request for Proposals (RFP) for the SHIP Menthol Cigarette Intervention Grant: Addressing Tobacco Use in the African American Community. In May 2015, the Minnesota Legislature passed the Omnibus Health and Human Services bill, which included a new provision requiring MDH to fund a one-time grant of $200,000 from SHIP funding. The law requires that the grant be used to engage members of the African American community and community-based organizations to implement strategies and interventions to reduce the disproportionately high usage of cigarettes by African Americans, especially the use of menthol-flavored cigarettes, as well as the disproportionate harm tobacco causes in that community. MDH must award the grant by Nov. 1, 2015.

• Binding Notice of Intent must be submitted by Aug. 18, 2015, by 4:30 p.m.
• Applications must be submitted by Sept. 10, 2015, by 4:30 p.m.

Visit SHIP Grantee Support to access this RFP.

Webinar ~ Smoke-Free Housing in Condos and Townhomes ~ ANSR ~ Aug 12, 12pm

Live Smoke Free and the Public Health Law Center will be holding a webinar on Aug 12 at 12pm on the topic of Smoke-Free Housing in Condos and Townhomes.  Participation is free.  Feel free to invite any condo homeowners, Board Members, or smoke-free housing advocates that may be interested.  We will be joined by a condo homeowner from Minneapolis who has been through the process of implementing a smoke-free policy in her building.

• What: Smoke-Free Housing in Condos and Townhomes
• When: Wednesday, August 12
• Time: 12-1:15pm
• Cost: FREE

RSVP to Kara Skahen at kara@ansrmn.org, 651-646-3005 x301.  

Article ~ Children with Asthma Exposed to Secondhand Smoke More Likely Experience Comorbidities

Children with asthma who are exposed to secondhand smoke are more likely to be obese, according to study results. The researchers reported that children exposed to smoke are also more likely to have severe asthma and use health care less. Read more here.

Conference ~ Creating Accountable Communities of Health 2015 ~ Duluth, Sept 9-10

Registration for Commons Health 2015, designed to catalyze place-based health creation, is now open. By melding integrative and community expertise and engaging in conversations that matter, this event helps healthcare, human service, business, clinical, wellness and community leadership link and align whole person approaches to health and well-being in the context of community.  

Save the Date ~ Regional Learning Meetings: Healthy Eating & Active Living ~ August & September

Aug 11 | 9am | Minneapolis

Aug 13 | 9am | Rochester

Aug 13 | 8:30am | Redwood Falls

Aug 17 | 8:30am | Sauk Rapids

Sept 23 | 8am | Bemidji

Save the Date ~ Orientation/Training ~ Bemidji, Sept 15 & 16

Tribal Grantees - please plan to attend: An Orientation Gathering/Training September 15 & 16 at the Hampton Inn & Suites in Bemidji, MN

Please make your hotel reservations as soon as possible.  A block of rooms is being held under the name: MN Dept. of Health for Sept 14 and 15 at the rate of $119.00 + tax per night. Call 218-751-3600 to reserve your rooms.

Click here to register.

New Community Preventive Services Task Force Recommendation—Utilizing CHWs with Patients at Increased Risk for CVD

The Community Preventive Services Task Force (Task Force) recently announced that it recommends interventions engage community health workers in a team-based care model to improve blood pressure and cholesterol in patients at increased risk for CVD. This finding supports interventions that engage community health workers for health education, outreach, enrollment, and information agents to increase self-reported health behaviors (e.g., physical activity, healthful eating habits, smoking cessation) in patients at increased risk for CVD.  A  small number of studies suggest that engaging community health workers improves appropriate use of healthcare services and reduces morbidity and mortality related to CVD.

We welcome you to share this information, as well as the below resources, with others who can use this finding to reduce CVD risk.

• News Story - Use this ready-to-go story for newsletters and websites, or simply link to it from the following introduction: The Community Preventive Services Task Force announced that it recommends interventions that engage community health workers to prevent cardiovascular disease.
• Community Guide Flyer – Use this as a handout, web link, attachment, or as a source of wording for materials you develop.
• Content syndication—Post automatically-updated Community Guide content on your website, such as a list of all Task Force findings on this topic.
• CHW One Pager – Use this informational handout summarizing The Community Guide review on interventions that engage community health workers to prevent cardiovascular disease
• What Works Fact Sheet – Use this informational handout summarizing Community Guide recommendations on this topic.
• Division for Heart Disease and Stroke Prevention Community Health Worker Toolkit – refer to this informational toolkit compiled of evidence-based research that supports the effectiveness of community health workers 

No announcements